103-475: The Comrades Marathon is an ultramarathon of approximately 88 kilometres (55 mi) which is run annually in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg . It is the world's largest and oldest ultramarathon race. The direction of the race alternates each year between the "up" run (87.6km) starting from Durban (elevation: 101 metres (331 ft)) and
206-668: A Comrades first, 11th-place finisher Simon Williamson was months later promoted to tenth place and awarded the last gold medal by the then South African president FW de Klerk . Williamson had passed another runner, Ephraim Sekothlong, in the last 100 metres to claim 11th spot and, unknowingly, a gold medal. In 1999, the Motsoeneng brothers from Bethlehem, Free State , who strongly resembled one another, performed an act of cheating during another down run. By exchanging places with his brother at toilet stops and aided by car lifts at various stages, Sergio Motsoeneng finished ninth, which came as
309-522: A ban on "extreme" competitions. In August 2023, a partnership between Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) and Ironman Triathlon was announced and the new formation of the UTMB World Series, an ultra-distance circuit that culminates with UTMB held in August. Concerns have been raised about rising entry fees, homogenization of racing experiences, and bulldozing of smaller events. Until 2014,
412-440: A combined ten Comrades titles from 2003 to 2013. Stephen Muzhingi also became the first athlete to win three races in a row (2009, 2010 and 2011) since Bruce Fordyce won three in a row in the eighties (1981, 1982 and 1983). South African supremacy over the men's race was restored when Ludwick Mamabolo won the down run in 2012. David Gatebe shattered the men's down record in 2016, while Bongmusa Mthembu has won three titles. Among
515-447: A cycling accident in her native Northern Ireland at the age of 24. - Also in 2019, the titanium Robert Mtshali medal was introduced for a time between 9hrs 00min and sub 10hrs 00min. Robert Mtshali was the first unofficial black runner in the 1935 Comrades Marathon, finishing his race in a time of 9 hours and 30 minutes. His efforts were not officially recorded as government and race rules of the time stipulated that, in order to compete in
618-575: A federal statutory holiday in May that also serves as the sovereign's official birthday in Canada. Empire Day/Commonwealth Day was held on the weekday before Victoria Day and was not intended to be a general holiday in itself, but a day to provide schools and civic institutions the opportunity to implement activities and lessons on Canada and the British Empire. In 1977, Commonwealth Day was moved to
721-414: A green number, permanently allocated to the runner for all future races. Runners running their 20th, 30th and 40th races are also indicated by yellow numbers – differently formatted on different years. Medals are awarded to all runners completing the course in under 12 hours. Medals are currently awarded as follows: - Prior to 2000, only gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded. - The Bill Rowan medal
824-483: A handful of runners have run the entire length of New Zealand, a distance of around 2,200 kilometres (1,400 mi). Australia In Australia, the Westfield Ultra Marathon was an annual race between Sydney and Melbourne contested between 1983 and 1991. Greek runner Yiannis Kouros won the event five times during that period. Australia is also the home of one of the oldest six-day races in
927-683: A handful of ultramarathons held in Antarctica, and travel costs can mean entrance fees as high as $ 14,000. Ultramarathons in Antarctica include The Last Desert, part of the 4 Deserts Race Series, a multi-stage footrace, and the Antarctic Ice Marathon – a marathon and 100-kilometer race. The oldest existing ultramarathon in North America is the JFK 50 Mile , which began in 1963 as a push by President John F. Kennedy to bring
1030-463: A lead of two minutes over Kuhn. He entered the stadium in the lead with only 80 metres left to go. Suddenly Kuhn appeared only 15 metres behind and closed in quickly. Malone put in a burst for the line, but with only 15 metres left he fell to the ground with cramps. He attempted to get up again, but with the line within reach Kuhn flew past to grab victory. The mayoral message was forgotten as both runners embraced. The Comrades had over 1,000 starters for
1133-432: A lower incidence of pain and fatigue than the average runner. In 1993, Herman Matthee, a runner from Bellville athletics club, finished in 7th place and was one of the top ten gold medal winners, but he was later stripped of his gold medal and disqualified when video evidence and eyewitness testimony indicated that he entered the race at Kloof and completed less than 30 km of the 89 km down run. Consequently, in
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#17327866627511236-844: A national body: the New Zealand Ultrarunners Association. Oceania New Caledonia Trail Festival has several annual ultramarathon including the Ultra Trail New Caledonia 136 km / 6 000m D+ and the Endurance Shop Trail race 70 km / 3 000m D+ on Pentecost long Week end. The Trail des Cagous is another 60 km ultramarathon held in April. Papua New Guinea has the Kokoda Challenge Race , an annual 96 km endurance race held in late August that runs
1339-429: A number of runners in the middle to back half of the field may be taking shortcuts. Up – Men Ultramarathon An ultramarathon is a footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of 42.195 kilometres (26 mi 385 yd). The sport of running ultramarathons is called ultra running or ultra distance running . Various distances, surfaces, and formats are raced competitively, from
1442-605: A patriotic holiday include the British Empire League . The idea to hold an "Empire Day" as a day that would "remind children that they formed part of the British Empire " gained support in the 1890s, and on the initiative of Clementina Trenholme in 1898, was first introduced in Ontario schools on the last school day before 24 May, Queen Victoria's birthday. By the end of the 19th century, Empire Day
1545-666: A public holiday throughout the British Empire was first suggested in 1894 and 1895 by Thomas Robinson, the Royal Colonial Institute 's honorary secretary at Winnipeg in Canada. Taking up Robinson's suggestion, the Royal Colonial Institute's London council addressed a petition to the Queen Victoria in July 1894 declaring that, whereas other nations had annual days for national celebration,
1648-420: A resolution in 1926 to prevent the further celebration of Empire Day. The Conservative party and other groups adopted Empire Day as a vehicle for anti-socialist propaganda, whilst the communist party exploited it as an opportunity to attack British imperialism. Other protests came from local Labour groups and pacifist dissenters. The overt politicization of Empire Day severely disrupted its hegemonic function and
1751-547: A shade over 10 hours. 1976 saw the emergence of Alan Robb, who won the first of his four Comrades titles. Robb repeated his win in 1977, 1978 and 1980, including breaking the tape in Durban in 1978 in a record 5:29:14, almost 20 minutes and four kilometres ahead of runner-up Dave Wright . During the 1980s the Comrades began with a field of 4,207 in 1980 and topped 5,000 for the first time in 1983. In 1980, Olive Anthony became
1854-477: A specified distance or route, and those that last for a predetermined period (with the winner covering the most distance in that time). The most common distances are 50 kilometres (31.07 mi), 50 miles (80.47 km), 100 kilometres (62.14 mi), 100 miles (160.93 km), and continue up to the longest certified race distance of 3100 miles. Timed events range from 6, 12, and 24 hours to 3, 6, and 10 days (known as Multiday races ). Timed events are generally run on
1957-452: A surprise to Nick Bester and other athletes behind him, who could not recall being overtaken. They were exposed when television footage revealed them to be wearing watches on different arms, and a time pad reading that confirmed that one of the brothers was still trailing Bester at Botha's Hill. The brothers performed well in later years, though Sergio tested positive for a banned substance after finishing third in 2010. Use of banned substances
2060-441: A track or a short road course, often one mile (1.6 km) or less. The format of ultramarathons and the courses vary, ranging from single loops (some as short as a 400-metre (1,300 ft) track), to point-to-point road or trail races, to cross-country rogaines . Many ultramarathons have significant obstacles, such as inclement weather, elevation change, or rugged terrain. Usually, there are aid stations , whether every lap of
2163-485: A track, small road or trail loop courses, or extending up to perhaps 20 to 35 kilometres (12 to 22 mi), where runners can replenish food and drink supplies or take a short break. There are some self-supported ultramarathon stage races in which each competitor has to carry all their supplies including food to survive the length of the race, typically a week long. The Marathon des Sables 6-day stage race in Morocco and
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#17327866627512266-544: Is a 246-kilometre (153 mi) marathon from the coast to the top of Mount Kosciuszko , Australia's highest mountain. Australia has seen a steep growth in ultrarunning events and participants in recent years. Many new races have come into inception, covering a range of ultramarathon distances from 50 km right through to multi-day events. The cornerstone of Australian Ultra events is such races as Ultra-Trail Australia 100, The Great North Walk Ultras, Surf Coast Century, Bogong to Hotham, Alpine Challenge, GC50 Run Festival, and
2369-609: Is a selected list of world or international-record-holding, or world-championship-winning, ultramarathon runners. Ultra Marathons are run around the world with more than 600,000 people completing them every year. Several ultra-distance events are held in Africa. Ultrarunning has become popular in Asia, and countries such as Japan, Taiwan , and South Korea have hosted IAU World Championships. Australia and New Zealand are hosts to some 100 organized ultramarathons each year. Additionally,
2472-580: Is claimed to be endemic among top Comrades athletes, but only a small number have been disqualified. Runners who have tested positive include Sergio Motsoeneng, Rasta Mohloli, Viktor Zhdanov, Lephetesang Adoro and Ludwick Mamabolo. Mamabolo was found not guilty due to "technical irregularities". Erythropoietin (EPO), norandrosterone (a metabolite or precursor of nandrolone), methylhexaneamine and testosterone have been mentioned in connection with Comrades athletes. In 2014, an analysis of negative splits by runner and statistician Mark Dowdeswell, suggested that
2575-951: Is the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race . Many ultras have historical significance, including the Spartathlon , based on the 246 km run of Greek messenger Pheidippides from Athens to Sparta during the Battle of Marathon in a day and a half to seek aid against the Persians. Ultra running World Championships are held by the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) for 50 km, 100 km, 24 hours, and ultra trail running . The Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU) holds World Championships for 48 hours and 6 days. World Records are ratified and recognized by World Athletics (50 km and 100 km),
2678-589: Is the first 100-mile (160 km) race through the Northburn Station. The Te Houtaewa Challenge has a 62 km race on a ninety-mile beach, in Northland. The runners have to contend with rising tides and soft beach sand and the March race dates often mean the race is run in the cyclone season. In 2014 the ultramarathon was postponed because of Cyclone Lucy. The Tarawera Ultramarathon is currently one of
2781-609: The "down" run (87.7km) starting from Pietermaritzburg (elevation: 921 metres (3,022 ft)). The 2019 field was capped at 25,000 runners, and the entry process closed after one week. South African runners constitute the greater part of the field, but many entrants hail from the India , United Kingdom , Zimbabwe , India , the United States , Brazil , Australia , Botswana , Russia , Eswatini and Japan . In all but three runnings since 1988, over 10,000 runners have reached
2884-532: The 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, where he finished tenth in the marathon . Hayward retired from the Comrades after establishing new records for both the up and down runs and equalling the five wins of Newton and Ballington. In 1958, the race was won for the first time by Jackie Mekler , who went on to win the race five times, finishing second twice and third twice. In the 1960s, Comrades grew considerably, from 104 starters in 1960 to 703 starters in 1969. Due to
2987-482: The 50k distance as a World Record for both mixed and women, respectively, along with 100k. The events considered IAU World Records are: 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours along with 50 and 100 miles. Records in the 6 day event are called World Best Performances by the IAU. Potential record performances at distances recognized by the IAU and following World Athletics and IAU rules that have not yet been ratified nor rejected include
3090-768: The Commonwealth Secretariat would select a date with no historical connotations so that the entire Commonwealth could use it as a date to celebrate Commonwealth Day. At a meeting in Canberra in May 1976, senior Commonwealth officials agreed on a new fixed date for Commonwealth Day, the second Monday in March. The second Monday of March was selected by Commonwealth leaders as it was a day when most schools would be in session, facilitating student participation in several Commonwealth-related activities, including mini- Commonwealth Games , simulated Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting , and studies and celebrations on
3193-674: The First World War , the jingoism was toned down in favour of sombre commemoration in the festival. In 1925, 90,000 people attended an Empire Day thanksgiving service held at Wembley Stadium as part of the British Empire Exhibition . However, Empire Day became more of a sombre commemoration in the aftermath of World War I, and politically partisan in the United Kingdom as the Labour Party passed
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3296-535: The IAU 100 km World Championships , IAU 50 km World Championships , IAU 24 Hour World Championship , and the IAU Trail World Championships . GOMU World Championships are held for 48 hours and 6 days to encourage multi-day athletes from around the world to come together, compete on a level playing field, and aspire for world, national, age-group, and personal records. The following
3399-409: The 1920s. When he completed the down run in 06:56 in 1923, there were only a handful of spectators on hand to witness the finish because so few thought it possible that the race could be run so quickly. The first woman to run the race was Frances Hayward in 1923, but her entry was refused, so she was an unofficial entrant. She completed the event in 11:35 and although she was not awarded a Comrades medal,
3502-462: The 1981 event when organisers announced that they would associate it with the 20th anniversary of the Republic of South Africa . Fordyce ultimately competed wearing a black armband to signal his protest. He repeated his victories in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 (a record 5:24:07 down run), 1987, 1988 (a record 5:27:42 for the up run), and 1990. In 1989, Sam Tshabalala became the first black winner of
3605-665: The 20th century, the celebration's focus shifted towards emphasising the modern Commonwealth of Nations, with the event being renamed Commonwealth Day in 1958, and its date moved to the second Monday in March in 1977. Commonwealth Day is typically marked by a Commonwealth Day message made by the Head of the Commonwealth , as well as additional statements from the Commonwealth Secretary-General . Inter-denominational observances are also held in cities across
3708-517: The 3,455-mile-long Bunion Derby (the first went along U.S. Route 66 from Los Angeles to Chicago before heading toward New York; the 1929 Derby reversed the route). Neither the race nor the accompanying vaudeville show was a financial success. Empire Day Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations , held on the second Monday in March. While the date holds some official status in select member states of
3811-466: The 3rd American and first in 20 years to win. The 2020 in-person edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic , with foreign registrants given the option of transferring their entry to 2021 or 2022. Similarly, the 2021 in-person edition of the race was also cancelled due to the pandemic. The 2022 Comrades down run was the first in-person event following the Covid-19 pandemic. It
3914-487: The 7 1 ⁄ 2 -hour barrier and win the Comrades Marathon in 7:18:00; well under the silver-medal cut-off of 7:30:00, and in the process shattering the women's record by more than an hour. Earlier that year she also became only the third women in Africa to complete a marathon in under three hours. She went on to win the 1981 Comrades up run in a time of 6:44:35 the following year. Three years later she died in
4017-530: The British Empire had no such day, and proposing that the Queen's birthday should be set aside for the purpose. In a reply the British prime minister, Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery , stated that it was a matter not for the government but for the community and pointed out that government departments already kept the Queen's birthday as a holiday. Other early advocates for the adoption of an "Empire Day" as
4120-400: The Commonwealth , observances of the date are not uniform across the Commonwealth, and the date is not celebrated as a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries. The event traces its origins to Empire Day , an event initially conceived to celebrate the British Empire. It was originally observed on Queen Victoria's birthdate, May 24th, or the last weekday before it. In the latter half of
4223-489: The Commonwealth host multi-cultural and inter-denominational services to mark the day. Flag-raising ceremonies for the flag of the Commonwealth of Nations are also held in several Commonwealth countries. On Commonwealth Day, flags of the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations are flown in Parliament Square and at Marlborough House . The flag of the United Kingdom is flown from UK public buildings on
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4326-410: The Commonwealth which she thinks people can have an impact on. In some member states of the Commonwealth , the message is sometimes augmented by an address from a member country's president, prime minister, or another senior minister. The Commonwealth Secretary-General also issues a statement on the day, which is read on the radio or published in some Commonwealth countries. Several cities throughout
4429-733: The Commonwealth, including one led by the Head of the Commonwealth at Westminster Abbey in London and attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General. Flag-raising ceremonies for the flag of the Commonwealth of Nations are also held in Commonwealth countries. The flags of Commonwealth member states are flown at select locations in the United Kingdom, while the Royal Union Flag is flown at federal installations in Canada. The idea of observing one day each year as
4532-424: The Comrades Marathon, you had to be a white male. Friday, 24 May 1935, saw Mtshali participating in the 15th Comrades Marathon, a down run, joining the 48 official entrants on the starting line. He ran unofficially, but was warmly welcomed into the Durban finish venue on the then Old Fort Road track grounds (now KE Masinga Road) by the crowds of supporters and spectators. The maverick runner clocked his time of 9:30 and
4635-404: The Comrades. Schoolteacher Frith van der Merwe won the woman's race in 1988 in a time of 6:32:56. In 1989, Van der Merwe ran 5:54:43, obliterating the women's record and finishing fifteenth overall. In the same year Wally Hayward entered the race at the age of 79 and finished in 9:44:15. He repeated the feat in the 1989 Comrades, where he completed the race with only two minutes to spare and at
4738-579: The Cradle Mountain Run. The Australian Ultra Runners Association (AURA) has a comprehensive list and links of events and their respective results. New Zealand New Zealand's first ultramarathon, called the Kepler Challenge , was held on a 60 kilometres (37 mi) trail through Fiordland National Park . It has been running since 1988 and is one of the country's most popular races. New Zealand's Northburn 100 ultra mountain run
4841-614: The GOMU recognising the IAU-ratified World Records and World Bests for 48 hours and 6 days, they also keep their own records for a number of "standard" times/distances (including 72 hours, 10 days, 500 miles, 1000 miles, 2000 miles, 3000 miles, 3100 miles, 500 km, 1000 km, 2000 km, 3000 km, 4000 km, and 5000 km), as well as records for a number of non-standard formats (4 days to 49 days, 200 miles to 2900 miles, and 300 km to 4900 km). There are four IAU World Championships:
4944-581: The Grand to Grand Ultra in the US are examples. The International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) organises the World Championships for various ultramarathon distances, including 50 kilometres (31 mi), 100 kilometres (62 mi), 24 hours, and ultra trail running , which are also recognized by World Athletics . Many countries around the world have their own ultrarunning organizations, often
5047-560: The IAU (50 km up to 6 days), and by GOMU (48 hours up to 5000 km). There is also overlap with the sports of trail running and mountain running . Some 100 miles (160 km) races are among the oldest and most prestigious events, especially in North America. The oldest and also the largest trail race is the SainteLyon 78 km in France (over 5,000 finishers annually). There are two main types of ultramarathon events: those that cover
5150-531: The IAU maintained lists of the world best performances on different surfaces (road, track, and indoor). Starting in 2015, the distinction between the surfaces was removed and the records were combined into a single category. Some governing bodies continue to keep separate ultramarathon track and road records for their jurisdictions. Starting in January 2022, the IAU began to recognize and ratify performances as IAU World Records. World Athletics also began to ratify
5253-774: The Millau 100K, which have gathered thousands of runners for the past 50 years. There are over 300 ultramarathons held in Europe each year, . This includes the Harz Run in the Harz Mountains , the Irish Connemarathon , the British Spine Race and Welsh Dragon's Back Race which covers 315 km with 15,500m of height gain. The UTMB , through France, Italy, and Switzerland has been considered
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#17327866627515356-607: The National Council in Canada of the Royal Commonwealth Society submitted a proposal to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau that Commonwealth Day should be observed simultaneously throughout the Commonwealth of Nations. The proposal was included in the Canadian items for inclusion in the agenda for the 1975 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting . After the meeting, it was agreed that
5459-529: The Royal Union Flag on days including Commonwealth Day, originates from the 1964 parliamentary resolution when the flag of Canada was adopted, which retained the Royal Union Flag as an official symbol in the country to signify its membership in the Commonwealth and allegiance to the Crown. From 1898 to 1976, Empire Day/Commonwealth Day was observed on an ad hoc basis in conjunction with Victoria Day ,
5562-464: The South African soldiers killed during the war. Clapham, who had endured a 2,700-kilometre route march through sweltering German East Africa , wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants. The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity". Vic Clapham's great-grandson, Antony Clapham, finished
5665-735: The UK from the Victorian Era has also been documented. The IAU hosts annual European Championships for the 50 km , 100 km and 24 hours . The European Ultramarathon Cup is an annual cup event covering some of the biggest ultramarathon races in Europe. Also worth mentioning is the ultramarathon CajaMar Tenerife Bluetrail , the highest race in Spain and second in Europe, with the participation of several countries and great international repercussions. Besides trail ultramarathons, Europe features large road ultramarathons such as Spartathlon and
5768-576: The United Kingdom on Commonwealth Day. Commonwealth Day was formerly celebrated as a public holiday in several British Overseas Territories . The day was observed as a school holiday in British Hong Kong before the handover of the territory from the United Kingdom to China in 1997. The date was also formerly observed as a public holiday in Gibraltar . In 2021, the holiday was moved to February instead of March. In 2022, Commonwealth Day
5871-408: The age of 20 qualify when they are able to complete an officially recognised marathon (42.2 km) in under 4:50 (5 hours before 2019). During the event an athlete must also reach five cut-off points in specified times to complete the race. The spirit of the Comrades Marathon is said to be embodied by attributes of camaraderie, selflessness, dedication, perseverance, and ubuntu . The race is run on
5974-472: The age of 80 became the oldest man to complete the Comrades. During the 1990s the size of the starting fields was in the region of 12,000 to 14,000 runners. In 1995 prize money was introduced, attracting more foreign competitors. The traditional race day of 31 May, formerly Republic Day, was changed to 16 June, the anniversary of the Soweto uprising . In 1992 Charl Mattheus , crossed the finish line first, but
6077-551: The award was never intended to be retrospective, owing to administrative restrictions. However, in response to popular demand, the back-to-back medal is available for purchase to runners who have previously fulfilled the criteria of completing both an 'up' and a 'down' Comrades Marathon. - For 2019 the Isavel Roche-Kelly medal (the same design as the Wally Hayward medal) was introduced for women finishing outside
6180-431: The bigger fields, cut-off points were introduced at Drummond and Cato Ridge . Mekler became the first man to break the six-hour barrier in 1960, finishing in 5:56:32. The 1961 winner was George Claassen, a school principal and father of well-known Wynand Claassen , Springbok rugby captain during 1981–83. Claassen junior also finished the Comrades ten times in later years. In 1962, the race attracted foreign entries for
6283-586: The country back to physical fitness. There are several 100-mile ultramarathons held annually in North America. The Western States Endurance Run is the oldest 100-mile trail run in North America. The race began in 1977, founded by Wendell Robie, of Auburn California. The largest ultramarathon in North America is the Marine Corp 50km. The largest 100-mile trail run is the Javelina Jundred. Some of flattest of North American ultramarathons, with
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#17327866627516386-454: The course, extended from 11 hours in 2003 (including a special 12 hour allowance in the year 2000). The original Comrades cut-off time from 1921 to 1927 was also 12 hours, reduced to 11 hours in 1928. There are a number of cut-off points along the routes which runners must reach by a prescribed time or be forced to retire from the race. A runner who successfully completed nine marathons wears a yellow number, while those who completed ten races wear
6489-447: The finish within the allowed 11 or 12 hours. With increased participation since the 1980s, the average finish times for both sexes, and the average age of finishers have increased substantially. The race was not held from 1941 to 1945 due to World War II , and the in-person edition of the race was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic . It was resumed in 2022 with a field of 15,000 entrants. Since 2019 runners over
6592-473: The first black woman finisher of the race in 9:10. She ran the race 22 times, including in 1983 while she was three months pregnant and also in 2010 with her husband and two daughters. In 1981, University of the Witwatersrand student Bruce Fordyce won the first of his eventual nine Comrades titles. An outspoken critic of apartheid , Fordyce and a number of other athletes initially decided to boycott
6695-561: The first time as the Road Runners Club of England sent over four of the best long-distance runners in Britain. English runner John Smith won the race, an up run, in under six hours, missing out on the course record by 33 seconds. Watching the stragglers come in hours later, Smith commented to former winner Bill Cochrane that the other people completing the race were getting as much applause as he had received. "You are now witnessing
6798-481: The first time in 1971, with over 3,000 in 1979. The race was widely broadcast on both radio and television. The race was opened to all athletes for the first time in 1975, allowing blacks and women to take part officially. In 1975, the Golden Jubilee of the Comrades, Vincent Rakabele finished 20th to become the first black runner to officially win a medal. Elizabeth Cavanaugh became the first women's winner in
6901-522: The flags of member states for blessing. A reception hosted by the Commonwealth Secretary-General is held after the service. A wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the sacrifice of Commonwealth soldiers at London's Commonwealth Memorial Gates is attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, and is held before the service at Westminster Abbey. Several other events, such as the Commonwealth Africa Summit, also take place around
7004-433: The following: The IAU World Records and World Best Performances as of May 2024 are as follows. Until 2021, the IAU also kept records for 1000 km and 1000 miles. The final records were: The Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU) was founded in October 2021 to recognize Multiday race World Records that are not recognized by the International Association of Ultrarunners . In addition to
7107-511: The geography, ecology, products or societies of other Commonwealth countries. Commonwealth Day is held on the second Monday in March. However, there is not a uniform observance of the day worldwide. On the day, the Head of the Commonwealth broadcasts a message throughout the entire Commonwealth of Nations. The broadcast is addressed to the people of the Commonwealth, and not to specific governments. Past Commonwealth Day messages by Queen Elizabeth II are themed after an issue of importance to
7210-409: The gold medals, but under 7hrs 30min, effectively eliminating the silver medal for women. In 2024 the cutoff time was reduced to 7hrs 00min, making a silver medal a possibility again for women runners. Twenty-year old Isavel Roche-Kelly was named the UCT Sportsperson of the Year for 1980. An unknown on the athletics scene, Roche-Kelly set the roads alight that year when she became the first woman to break
7313-403: The greatest legends of the Comrades Marathon, winning a further four times in the fifties, and becoming the oldest man to complete the race in 1989. In 1932 Geraldine Watson, an unofficial entrant, became the first woman to complete both the up run and the down run. After Ballington's domination of the 1930s, Comrades was stopped during the war years from 1941 to 1945. In 1948 a Comrades tradition
7416-472: The history of the Comrades, there have been 8 deaths up to the 2022 event. In a survey among a sample of 2005 participants, 25% reported cramps, 18% nausea, 8% vomiting, 13% dizziness, 3% diarrhoea, 23% pain, excluding the expected sore legs, and 14% reported fatigue of such a nature that they believed themselves to be incapable of continuing the race. Among silver medalists there was a higher incidence of cramps (42.9%), nausea (21.4%) and diarrhoea (7.1%), though
7519-495: The importance of being part of the Commonwealth of Nations. In 2021, the Sovereign's Day was removed from the government's official list of public and bank holidays. In Canada, the only official recognition of Commonwealth Day is a federal government stipulation that the Royal Union Flag be flown alongside the flag of Canada at federal installations nationwide where at least two flag poles are present. The stipulation to fly
7622-761: The least elevation or elevation gain, take place in Florida, like the Long Haul 100, the Keys 100, and the Skunk Ape 100 Mile Endurance Run. The first mountain trail ultramarathon held in the United States was the 1911 Mount Baker Race (50K), in Bellingham, Washington. Runners raced by car or train to the trailheads, ran up and down Mount Baker 10,000 feet, and then returned to the city. An early ultramarathon
7725-642: The length of the historic Kokoda Track . Papua New Guinea also has the Great Kokoda Race, a multi-stage 96 km (3-day) race held in early July where competitors run or walk the length of the Kokoda Track . In Europe, ultrarunning can trace its origins to early documentation of ultrarunners from Icelandic sagas , or ancient Greece from where the idea of the Marathon , and the Spartathlon comes. The history of ultrarunners and walkers in
7828-639: The most competitive ultras in New Zealand and part of the Ultra-Trail World Tour. In December 2013 in Auckland, Kim Allan ran 500 km in 86 hours, 11 minutes, and 9 seconds, breaking the 486 kilometres (302 mi) women's record. In April 2013, a Feilding man, Perry Newburn, set a new New Zealand record by running 483 kilometres (300 mi) without sleep at Feilding's Manfeild Park. Ultramarathon running in New Zealand has
7931-783: The national athletics federation of the country, or are sanctioned by such national athletics organizations. 50-kilometer and 100-kilometer races are recognized as World Records by World Athletics , the world governing body of track and field. The International Association of Ultrarunners recognizes IAU World Records for 50-kilometers, 100-kilometers, 6 hours, 12 hours, 100 miles, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 6 days. The Global Organization of Multi-Day Ultramarathoners (GOMU) recognizes Multiday race World Records for standard and non-standard distances and times between 48 hours and 5000 km. There are ultramarathon Racewalking events that are usually 50 km, although 100 km and 100-mile (160 km) "Centurion" races are also organized. Furthermore,
8034-589: The non-competitive International Marching League event Nijmegen Four Days March has a regulation distance of 4 × 50 km over four days for those aged 19 to 49. In 2021, concerns were raised about planning and medical care available for ultramarathons in China, after dozens of racers died from hypothermia and at least one from a heart attack while competing in an ultramarathon in the Yellow River Stone Forest . The government later announced
8137-418: The other runners and spectators presented her with a silver tea service and a rose bowl. In 1924 the Comrades had its fewest starters ever, just 24. Four years later, in 1928, the time limit for the race was reduced by an hour to 11 hours. In the 1930s, Hardy Ballington emerged as the dominant runner, recording four victories in 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1938. The winner of the 1930 race, Wally Hayward, became one of
8240-481: The political battles fought over the form and purpose of the celebrations made it difficult to uphold the notion that the festival was merely a benign tribute to a legitimate and natural state of affairs. After World War II , the event fell into rapid decline. On 18 December 1958, Prime Minister Harold Macmillan announced in Parliament that the name of Empire Day would be changed to Commonwealth Day. In 1973,
8343-433: The presence of its patron, the governor , at Parliament House, Sydney . In The Bahamas, Commonwealth Day school assemblies involving flag-raising ceremonies are held. In Belize, Commonwealth Day was also known as Sovereign's Day and was formerly celebrated as a public holiday in May. The holiday was originally celebrated in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday, although it was later set aside to recognise and celebrate
8446-426: The public eye but later managed to redeem his clean image with an emphatic faultless win in the 1997 down run beating a strong local and international field. The 75th anniversary of the Comrades Marathon in 2000 was the largest ever staged, with a massive field of 23,961. An extra hour was allowed to allow runners some recovery time for bronze medal finishers to celebrate the milestone. In 2010, on its 85th anniversary,
8549-491: The race from 2012 to 2015, earning four Vic Clapham medals. From 1962 to 1994 the race was run on Republic Day , 31 May. After this public holiday was scrapped in 1995 by the post- apartheid South African government, the race date was changed to Youth Day on 16 June. In 2007, the race organisers (controversially) bowed to political pressure from the ANC Youth League , who felt that the race diverted attention from
8652-530: The race gained a place in the Guinness World Records as the ultramarathon with most runners. 14,343 athletes, the largest field since the turn of the millennium, finished in the allowed 12 hours. Russian runner Leonid Shvetsov set both down and up course records in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Stephen Muzhingi became the first non- South African winner from Africa in 2009. Russian identical twin sisters Olesya and Elena Nurgalieva won
8755-717: The roads of KwaZulu-Natal province, marked by "The Big Five" set of hills. On the up run they appear in the following order: Cowies Hill , Fields Hill, Botha's Hill , Inchanga , and Polly Shortts . The highest point of the race, at 2,850 feet (870 m) above sea level, is situated near the Umlaas Road interchange. Approximately 40 official refreshment stations along the route are stocked with soft drinks, water sachets, energy drink sachets, fruit, biscuits, energy bars, cooked potatoes and other refreshments. About eight physiotherapy and first aid stations are also located at strategic points. Athletes currently have 12 hours to complete
8858-521: The second Monday in March to mark Commonwealth Day. Flag flying guidelines for the Scottish Government and its related agencies also advises the flying of the flags of the Commonwealth of Nations and Scotland on the date, only if the building has two or more flagpoles. In London, an inter-denominational service is led by the Head of the Commonwealth at Westminster Abbey . During the service, representatives of Commonwealth countries offer
8961-618: The shortest common ultramarathon of 31 miles (50 km) and up to 3100 miles. Around 100 miles (160 km) is typically the longest course distance raced in under 24 hours, but there are also longer multiday races commonly held as 48 hours, 200 miles (320 km), or more, sometimes raced in stages with breaks for sleep. The oldest and largest ultramarathons are on road, including the Comrades Marathon (over 10,000 finishers annually) and Two Oceans Marathon (over 6,000 finishers annually). The world's longest certified Footrace
9064-559: The significance of Youth Day , and changed the race date to Sunday 17 June for 2007 and 15 June for 2008. In 2009 and 2010 the date was changed (to 24 May and 30 May respectively) to accommodate football's Confederations Cup (2009) and World Cup (2010) in South Africa. In 2020 and 2021, the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic . Forty-eight runners entered the first race in 1921, but only thirty-four elected to start. Most of them were former infantrymen. The course at
9167-470: The spirit of the Comrades," replied Cochrane. In 1965, English runner Bernard Gomersall broke Mekler's down run record with a time of 5:51:09. In 1967, Manie Kuhn and Tommy Malone were involved in the closest finish in the history of the race. Malone appeared to be on his way to a comfortable win and was handed the traditional message from the Mayor of Pietermaritzburg to the Mayor of Durban at Tollgate with
9270-409: The time was tarred only for the final few kilometres into Durban . A time limit of 12 hours was set and Bill Rowan became the inaugural winner, clocking 08:59 to win by 41 minutes ahead of Harry Phillips. Of the 34 starters, only 16 completed the race. Arthur Newton entered and won the race for the first time in 1922. He went on to win the race five times and emerge as the dominant Comrades runner of
9373-488: The women, the Nurgalieva twins' hold on the race was finally broken in 2014 when Ellie Greenwood , GBR, won the down run after a spectacular finish, taking the lead just 2 km before the end. In 2015 Caroline Wostmann became the first South African woman to win Comrades in 17 years, followed by Charné Bosman in 2016 and Ann Ashworth in 2018. In 2017, American Camille Herron , led from start-to-finish to become only
9476-611: The world's most competitive trail ultra. The other races in the UTMB festival, including the CCC, TDS, and OCC, are also significant events in the ultrarunning calendar. In 2021 the Megarace was held. The race was 1001 km and was planned to be held on trails through Germany, Czech Republic , and Austria . Due to Covid , 2021, the course was modified to only go through Germany. Due to logistics and environmental concerns, there are only
9579-685: The world, the Cliff Young Australian 6-day race , held in Colac, Victoria . The race is held on a 400-meter circuit at the Memorial Square in the centre of Colac and has seen many close races since its inception in 1984. The 20th Cliff Young Australian six-day race was held between 20 and 26 November 2005. During that event, Kouros beat his existing world record six-day track mark and set a new mark of 1,036.851 kilometres (644.269 mi). The Coast to Kosciuszko inaugurated in 2004,
9682-499: Was added in 2007 for runners finishing in under 6hrs, but outside the gold medals. Often there are fewer runners earning a Wally Hayward medal than those earning a gold medal, if any at all. - In 2005 the back-to-back medal was created and henceforth was awarded to novice runners who complete an 'up or down run' in succession. Back-to-back medals were automatically awarded to 2005 Comrades Marathon finishers who had completed their first Comrades Marathon in 2004. As with any new innovation,
9785-578: Was also celebrated in Cape Colony before the Second Boer War and thereafter throughout the Union of South Africa . Empire Day was introduced in the United Kingdom in 1904 by Reginald Brabazon, 12th Earl of Meath , 'to nurture a sense of collective identity and imperial responsibility among young empire citizens'. After the death of Queen Victoria on 22 January 1901, her birthday, 24 May,
9888-503: Was awarded a special presentation by Councillor V.L. Shearer. He was one of only 35 finishers. The Comrades was run for the first time on 24 May 1921 ( Empire Day ), and with the exception of a break during World War II , as well as the COVID-19 pandemic-impacted 2020 and 2021, has been run every year since. To date, over 300,000 runners have completed the race. The race was the idea of World War I veteran Vic Clapham , to commemorate
9991-458: Was born when race official Max Trimborn, instead of firing the customary starter's gun, gave a loud imitation of a cock's crow. That tradition continues to the present day with Trimborn's recorded voice played over loudspeakers at the starting line. In the 1950s, a full twenty years after he won the race for the first time, Wally Hayward recorded his second victory and followed that up with wins in 1951, 1953 and 1954. He represented South Africa at
10094-488: Was celebrated from 1902 as Empire Day , though not officially recognised as an annual event until 1916. In schools, morning lessons were devoted to "exercises calculated to remind (the children) of their mighty heritage". The centrepiece of the day was an organised and ritualistic veneration of the Union flag. Schoolchildren were given the afternoon off, and further events were usually held in their local community. After
10197-659: Was held in Mexico in 1926, and at the time was part of the Central American Games . Tomas Zafiro and Leoncio San Miguel, both Tarahumara Indians, ran 100 km from Pachuca to Mexico City in 9 hours and 37 minutes. At the time, the Mexican government petitioned to include a 100 km race in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. In 1928, sports agent C. C. Pyle organized the first of two editions of
10300-525: Was introduced in 2000 and named after the winner of the first Comrades Marathon in 1921. The time limit for this medal was inspired by Rowan's winning time in 1921 of 8hrs 59min. - A new copper medal, the Vic Clapham medal (named after the race founder), was added in 2003. This medal coincided with the increase in the time allocation for completing the event from sub 11hrs to sub 12hrs. - The Wally Hayward medal, named after five-time winner Wally Hayward,
10403-583: Was later disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance. He claimed it was contained in medicine he had taken for a sore throat, but Jetman Msutu was elevated to the winner, thus becoming the second black winner of the Comrades. In a sad twist for Mattheus, not long after the 1992 race, the substance for which he was banned was removed from the World Athletics ' banned substance list since all evidence pointed to it having no performance enhancing properties. Mattheus also suffered much negativity in
10506-690: Was no longer listed as a public holiday in Gibraltar, with the February public holiday replaced by the Winter Midterm Bank Holiday. Although the event is no longer a public holiday, the Government of Gibraltar continues to mark Commonwealth Day through various events. Commonwealth Day is observed by Australian state governors and the governor-general . The Commonwealth Day Council of New South Wales holds an annual lunch in
10609-474: Was the 95th event since its inception in 1921, and the apt event slogan was "The Return – Sishay' Ibuya". Legislation concerning mass participation events limited the number of entrants to 15,000, and preference was given to those who had entered the cancelled 2020 race. The KwaZulu-Natal Sports Department confirmed that 2 athletes died following the race. As with every ultramarathon , there are potentially lethal health risks involved in extreme physical events. In
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